Decolonize the countryside

This week, I received a link to George Monbiot’s Guardian article on a new campaign ‘to decolonize the countryside’. Meanwhile, in Nova Scotia I read Larry Powell’s article on the Protected Community Forest initiative.

Reflecting on the differences and similarities between Europe and North America, I recall arriving in Schefferville, Quebec to work at the McGill Sub-Arctic Research Laboratory in Summer 1964. Conducting field research on the Canadian Shield, I developed a very different perspective on the relationship between man and nature.

Eventually, in 1969, I left my job with IBM in England and moved to Canada to study alpine vegetation patterns in the Rockies, just off the Columbia Icefields.

This week, I have been hearing about plans to spray the vegetation in the West Inglisville and Paradise area of South Mountain. I have obtained the Property Identifiers (PID) and with Viewpoint can accurately locate the designated areas.

Here are my questions.

1) the Municipality of Annapolis produced its Forestry report in 2018. Does the Municipality have a say in the Forestry practices impacting citizens in the county?

2) Driving to Bridgewater, I see signs ‘Nova Scotia needs Forestry’. Is that indeed the case? If so, what type of forestry? Read Bob Bancroft’s article in this weekend’s Chronicle Herald.

3) Does the Municipality have any control or input over land use planning in the county? Or are all decisions related to Forestry, Agriculture, Mining made at the provincial level?

4) Finally, with the demise of local newspapers, it is hard to imagine how we are going to understand the positions of candidates in the municipal election. Thankfully, we have The Bridgetown Reader and the link municipalelection-annapoliscounty.com for the basic facts.

While in Lunenburg to collect a few bottles of Hunter brandy at Ironworks Distillery, we dropped into Lunenburg Bound bookstore. I found Daniel Botkin’s book, No Man’s Garden. Thoreau and a new vision for civilization and nature, written in 2001.

We are still seeking that new vision.

Acknowledgements

To my brother for the Guardian link. To Rocky Hebb for notice about the spraying. To Gregory Heming for the PIDs. Larry Powell for his report on the Protected Community Forest. As always, support from Heather and Edward.

References
Daniel Botkin, 2001. No Man’s Garden: Thoreau and a new vision for Civilization and Nature. Island Press.
Bob Bancroft, Forest plantations defy science, ignore economics. Chronicle Herald. August 22. Opinion C2.
Lawrence Powell. Annapolis County group raising funds to protect the forest.